Do you sense the excitement? It’s growing! Do you feel God is about “doing a new thing” in our midst? As we prepare for 2011 and
beyond, there is every reason to be optimistic. We are poised on the brink of a time of growth and change for Jackson FUMC.
One of the goals that I have been in prayer for revolves around the concept of restoring decision-making authority of the lay
leadership in our congregation. It is a natural by-product of size that staff often tends to assume more decision-making authority
the larger and more complex a church body becomes. However, Methodism has always represented a form of church government
in which clergy and lay leadership cooperate fully and move forward arm-in-arm by respecting the gifts of the laity and those
who have been “set apart” for teaching and preaching. The biblical model is one who “equips the saints for the work of ministry”
(Ephesians 4:11-12).
We have a great opportunity to start our year with this purpose of equipping. With the consent of the out-going church council, we
have contacted and secured a date for David S. Bell of Design Group International to be with us. David is a nationally recognized
authority in matters related to church leadership, stewardship and governance. He empowers leaders to discover their vital role in
enabling communities of faith to embody a generous culture. David advocates a high level of leader commitment, truly empowering
lay leadership, leading by example, and employing “best practices” in much the same way as progressive business organizations.
You may learn more about David and his work at his website: davidbell.org.
Please be in constant prayer for David Bell as he comes to lead us and help us discern our future more carefully. Remember, God
expects our best. However, we need to constantly pray for, as Jesus reminds those of us who follow Him, “...Cut off from me, you
can do nothing.” (John 15:5).
Pastor Dan

2010 Giving Goal Met...
Congratulations!

A word from Pastor Dan... See page 3
SEEKING GOD

|

KNOWING CHRIST

|

SHARING HIS LOVE

First Edition
January 5, 2011

FUMC WELCOMES
NEW MEMBERS

Christopher and Bria Pittman joined FUMC
Sunday, January 2 from other denominations.
Both Chris and Bria work at Red Lobster and
are students at Union University. Pictured
here with their son, Emmanuel.

You’re invited

12:00 NOON - 1:00 PM
Lunch ($7.00) & Program
January 7, 2011 • Clayton Hall
Jackson City Mayor, Jerry Gist and
Madison County Mayor, Jimmy
Harris will deliver a presentation
outlining their vision and agenda
for 2011. A question and answer
session with the audience will follow.

page 2

Tax Savings in 2011
2% TAX SAVINGS=INCREASED GIVING MADE EASY
In 2011 the U. S. government is giving its citizens a payroll tax holiday. This action
presents a unique opportunity for church members to easily increase their annual
giving by 2%. Beginning with the first paycheck of 2011, many people will receive
2% more money in their take-home pay.
If you have not been giving to your church or if you have not increased your giving in
several years, this is a great opportunity for you to evaluate your giving to the church
as a percentage of income. Prayerfully consider increasing your 2011 giving by
at least half, or 1%, and hopefully all, or 2%, of your tax savings in 2011. You
don’t want to miss this easy way to increase your giving!
IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER REINSTATED
New legislation in the Senate extends the IRA Charitable Rollover provision that
expired at the end of 2009. The legislation reinstated the Rollover for 2010 and will
allow any eligible gifts made by January 31, 2011 to be treated as a 2010 donation.
The legislation also sets the new expiration date for the Rollover as December
31, 2011, meaning that eligible gifts made throughout all of 2011 will qualify for
favorable tax treatment.
The IRA Charitable Rollover allows individuals age 70½ and older to donate up
to $100,000 directly from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) to public
charities without having to count the distributions as taxable income. Since these
charitable transfers are not subject to income tax there is no charitable deduction
allowed.
Please consult your financial and tax professionals for more details.
Contributions as Tax Deductions
To ensure the deductibility of your church contributions, please do not file your income tax return
until you have received a written acknowledgment of your contributions from the church. These
will be sent out in early January.

The Right Thing for The Right Reason
Well—here it is-- 2011! Ask me about
anything that happened from Thanksgiving
until today (Tuesday, January the 4th) and
I’m likely to say it is all a “blur!” A good
“blur” but a “blur” of constant activity. We
celebrated Advent and Christmas in grand
style, didn’t we? Worship services were
uplifting and the fellowship we enjoyed
was some of the warmest I’ve ever known!
Between the gatherings and the planning
and the outright busyness, there didn’t seem
to be a single moment that wasn’t somehow
assigned.
But, you know what? It seemed to be right
somehow….all the activity was the right
thing for the right reason!
I’m reminded of a story told by the author
Gregory Tolle. It was apparently a true story
involving the actor Steven Segall.
In Segall’s younger days, before his real
acting career took off, Steven Segall had
been hired by the Central Intelligence
Agency to pose as an airport employee for an
undercover operation. Segall knew nothing
about the real job –he was just someone hired
to “look the part” of an airport employee.
On this particular day, a woman approached
him carrying a pet carrier with her dog
inside. She spoke only broken English. She
was obviously distressed and managed to
communicate that she “needed to take care
of some business.” She motioned to Segall to
“please look after her dog” for a while. Not
knowing what to do and not wanting to blow
his CIA cover, Segall agreed.
A few minutes after she had gone, Segall
noticed the dog had not moved. He checked
more closely and to his dismay, confirmed
that the lady’s dog was indeed dead! He
immediately called the other CIA agents.

by Dan Camp

They all knew they could
not afford a scene which
would draw attention to them
and “blow their cover!” So,
thinking quickly, they plotted
to replace the dog by having
one of the other agents
run out to a pet store and
purchase an identical breed
with close coloring at the nearby pet shop
in the mall. They moved quickly for fear of
detection in their complicity.
When the woman returned, she took a look at
her dog, screamed and fainted.
When she finally regained consciousness
(after some ammonia inhalants) she
apologized and explained that she was both
“shocked and overjoyed!” Seems she had
mistakenly thought her beloved pet dog was
dead when she left, and now (amazingly)
her dog was alive! The business she had left
to take care of was the arrangements for her
dog’s burial.
The moral of the story (according to Tolle) is
this: “Sometimes we think we are doing the
right thing and we’re not. Sometimes we do
wrong out of ignorance. At other times, we
know we’re not doing the right thing but we
try to convince ourselves that we are.”
As I’ve witnessed –firsthand—your incredible
extra efforts in giving, your generosity toward
those who have less, and your willingness to
pull together in the final weeks of 2010—I
want to extend a very personal “THANK
YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU IN 2011!”
You—the people of Jackson First United
Methodist –have done “the right thing for all
the right reasons!”

Thanks to you we met the
year-end goal
Week Ending
November 12
November 19
November 26
December 3
December 10
December 17
December 24
December 31*

Church Family News
Congratulations to
• Guy Van Dell, MD, and his wife Lora
on the December 29, 2010 birth of their
daughter Hailey Grace Van Dell.
• Melanie and Matthew Fite on the Dec.
29 birth of their daughter, Natalie
Brooke Fite. Grandparents are Betsy
and Alan Dement and great-grandparents
are Nancy and Larry Brooke.
• Jarrod and Sara Finger of Nashville on
the Dec. 12 birth of their son, Michael
Paul Finger. Grandparents are James
and Cathy Finger of our congregation.

1st Session January 16
5:00-6:00 p.m. • Room 109
Tammy McCoy, will be the facilitator
for these monthly Sunday evening
sessions. Tammy, the Director
of Student Success at Lambuth
University, has her Masters in
Counseling and has conducted
previous support groups.

page 4

Senior Adult Corner

FUMC Senior Adult Ministry presents

Friday, January 21

Healthy Living in 2011
with presenters

Steve Albright

Director of Heart and Vascular Center

Melissa Walls
Director of “Health Aware”

Program 11:00 a.m. • Luncheon 12:00 noon • Clayton Hall • $6.00 per person
Deadline for reservations is 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 18. This deadline is
EXTREMELY important. To make reservations, call 422-4002. Please remember to
call and cancel your reservation should you be unable to attend.

Youth News & Events
Youth Training for Room In The Inn
For all those Youth interested in helping with the Room In The Inn
program on January 23rd, we will be having Mandatory Training this
Sunday, January 9th at 10 a.m. during the Sunday School hour in the
Youth Area. You must attend in order to serve on January 23rd.
Current UMY starts back January 9th @ 5PM
All youth come out as we start off a new semester in ministry together!
WEF Current Small Groups starts back Wednesday, January 12th

Questions? Contact Tammy at
tmym@eplus.net or 437-0287

Lunch and Learn

Tuesday Morning Women’s Book Study
“What Good is God? In Search
of a Faith that Matters”
by Philip Yancey

Led by Betsy Dement &
Susan Crocker

Jan.11 - March 15
10:00 a.m.
Room 107

Youth Ski Trip 2010

First Edition
January 5, 2011

Visitors Needed!

by Cecil Kirk

Christmas was a special time: visits from family, cards and newsletters from
friends far away, homemade goodies. For some of our members, they were
thrilled to have carolers, bell ringers, and children stop by for a visit. One
of our residents in an assisted living facility said that it would be nice if
someone would drop by at some other time than Christmas. I know what she
was talking about since they appreciate my visiting on a regular basis. It is
a very rewarding experience for me and for those who deliver DVD’s of our
worship services and copies of the Upper Room.
Occasionally church members will ask about some member they have not seen in some
time. Are they ill? Some are no longer able to attend church. They may have sold their car
and moved into a senior facility. They would like to know that they are missed and are very
interested in what is going on at church. Do you have some time to visit, to drop by for a
chat, or to just let someone know that they are missed and loved? I am listing those living
in senior facilities that are not able to attend church.. It would be a rewarding new year’s
resolution to enlarge your family of care. Let me know if you can serve in this way.
Bells Nursing Home
John Carlock
Regency Retirement Village
Jane Isaac
Joan Eickhoff
Helen Fleming
Elmcroft
Sara Dodson
Rose Marie Krimm
Martha Jaco
Forest Cove Nursing Center
Lena Finger
Lynn Reeves
Jackson Oaks Retirement Village
Les Haneline
Julia Hatter
Loy and Laurice Long
Ginny Sculley
Grailyn Brooks
Margaret Cantrell
Ann Snelson
Ora Lee Foust
Bob and Judy Hazlewood

Contact Carolyn Vaughan (661-0256 or csvaughan@charter.net) or Pam
McCarty at (616-0023 or mccartym@charter.net) if you would like to serve on
a retreat committee.
Contact Sue Harvey (668-8289 or suebabyt@aol.com) if you would like to
serve on the retreat prayer team.

page 5

FUMC FOUNDATION

“Real estate offers opportunities for giving
to the FUMC Foundation. Consider the gift
of vacant land, condominium, commercial
property, house, farm, or other types of real
estate. You could be entitled to an income
tax deduction for the fair market value of the
property at the time the gift is made.”
To learn about FUMC’s Foundation and
Planned Giving, contact Jim Scott, Chairman.
668-4775 or e-mail patandscotty@aeneas.net

February 11, 2011
An elegant evening of fine dining, great
music, and an engaging speaker!

Inclement
Weather
Policy

In case of inclement
weather, please refer
to any of the following
for updates on the
church being open or
closed.
Thomas Media Stations:
107.7 / 106.9 /102.3 / 95.7 FM
1460 AM
WBBJ Channel 7
jacksonfumc.org
twitter.com/jacksonfumc
FUMC Jackson TN on Facebook

First Edition
January 5, 2011

Weekly
Opportunities

Sunday, January 9
Room in the Inn
First Awakening Service
Youth Training/Room in the Inn
Sunday School
Traditional Service
3:00 PM Team Stuart/Camp Basketball
4:00 PM Children’s Council Meeting
5:00 PM Current UMY
5:00 PM JCS Cast Party
5:30 PM New Member Dinner

New Year! New Classes!
Wednesday Evening Fellowship
January 12 - February 16

The Second Adventure: Don’t Just Retire - Change the
World!
Based on a book by Kay Marshall Strom
Men and women don’t want to retire from contributing
when they retire from their careers. So, they are using their
time, skills, and resources to make a difference!
Book Fee: $15 • Room 112 • Led by Ed & Bettye Labry
When Christians Get It Wrong by Adam Hamilton
More and more young adults have opted out of Christianity
and the church. The reason? Sometimes, maybe often, it’s
Christians themselves.
Book Fee: $10 • Room 109 • Led by Ralph Leverett &
Steve Mischke

Revelation and the End Times by Ben Witherington III
This study will guide you into a deeper understanding of
the truths found within Revelation’s often mysterious text
so that you can feel more secure in your faith.
Book Fee: $7 • Room 111 • Led by Joel Allen
CS Lewis and the Christian Life
CS Lewis has influenced more people’s faith positively
than any writer in recent memory. Why does he remain
so popular? What can we learn from this man’s Mere
Christianity? How does he still make a difference?
No fee • Room 116 • Led by Rev. Dan Camp
Knit Peace
A peaceful hour to learn new skills, support the Prayer
Shawl Ministry and cancer patients, and share both fun and
fellowship. Questions? Call Elsie at 664-0973.
Supplies: Bring size 13 needles. • Meets in the Library off
Disciple Hall • Led by Elsie Harris

In addition to sponsoring Room in the Inn and providing
the largest amount of utility assistance in Jackson,
Madison County, Area Relief Ministries (A.R.M.) offers
emergency housing assistance, a Christmas toy store,
the Open Arm (a day center for needy and homeless
individuals), the HUB Club (an after school program
in the Hillcrest neighborhood), and the Goody2Shoes
5k in September. We hope you will continue to give
generously to this hard working downtown neighbor of ours.

For more information about Area Relief Ministries, please visit: areareliefministries.org
January Mission Chest Needs - A snack drive for ARM’s after-school
program, The Hub Club, is underway. If you would like to help out, please bring
individually wrapped fruit snacks, chips, granola bars and drinks to the church.
These items may be placed in the Mission Chest located in the main lobby.

FUMC Kids’ News
Proverbs 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

• The rosebud on the altar December 19 was placed by James and Cathy Finger in honor of the birth of their grandson, Michael Paul Finger,
who was born December 12. Michael is the son of Jarrod and Sara Finger.

• The rosebud on the altar January 2 was placed in honor of Natalie Brooke Fite, daughter of Melanie and Matthew Fite.
Grandparents are Betsy and Alan Dement. Great Grandparents are Larry and Nancy Brooke.
• The rosebud on the altar January 9 is placed by Garey and Jan Littrell in honor of the birth of their granddaughter, Hailey
Grace, daughter of Lora & Guy Van Dell, MD.